The international breaks- frustrating as they are- offer sporting scribes the chance to sit back and take stock.
With eleven games gone in this year’s Premier League season, I think it’s fair to say that we have a reasonable sample size from which to start offering some rough assessments (this coming from a guy who compiled a team of the season just six games in). While I think it’s important to allow players time to acclimatize to new environments, I think we are at the point where we can start making some cursory observations. Below is a list of the five players who have struggled the most to justify their price tags. I have decided to omit loan moves from the discussion (or else Jadon Sancho would be lurking around here like a jilted prom date).
5. Jamie Gittens- £55m from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea
This has been a particularly rough period for incoming Bundesliga talent (the likes of Simons, Frimpong and Benjamin Sesko were perilously close to making this list). Jamie Gittens has managed to just sneak his way into the rogue’s gallery. Gittens a enjoyed 2024/2025 season at Dortmund, shining in the first half before losing relevance as the season progressed. Gittens joined in July for a deal worth around £55m (a figure which made me involuntarily twitch). And the direct left-winger has struggled to impress himself on the league, failing to produce a goal or assist in his nine league outings. He scored a wonder-goal in the League Cup, which only deepened the sense of overall frustration. To make matters worse, Alejandro Garnacho and Estavio have come in and ripped things apart in wide areas. He will need to be Gitten better soon (I apologize).
4. Mads Hermansen- £20m from Leicester City to West Ham United
The first of two shot-stoppers on this list, Mads Hermansen has endured a disastrous start to life at West Ham. Hermansen showed some potential at Leicester but couldn’t help the Foxes avoid relegation during last year’s campaign. The Dane then made a £20m move to West Ham to ostensibly replace outgoing Lukasz Fabianski. But he made a shocking first impression, conceding eleven goals in his first four appearances of the season (including some pure gaffs in their London derby defeat to Chelsea). Alphonse Areola is now back between the sticks, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Nuno dips back into the transfer market to solidify his GK ranks.
3. Anthony Elanga- £55m from Forest to Newcastle United
This has been a bit of a surprise for me. Former United forward Anthony Elanga was a standout player for Nottingham Forest last season, contributing 18 goals contributions in a rip-roaring counterattacking side. Elanga joined the Magpies for an eyebrow-raising £55m (the same amount they paid for instrumental midfielder Tonali in 2023). Elanga has struggled to be as effective in a side that commands more possession than Forest, failing to score or assist in any of his Premier League appearances. Of all Newcastle’s wingers, only Jakub Murphy has shone on the domestic front. Harvey Barnes’ goal at Brentford was the first Prem goal (or assist) from the trio of Gordon, Elanga and Barnes all season. Elanga may lack the refinement necessary to break down organized defensive units.
2. James Trafford- £27 from Burnley to Man City
This has been a letdown of Shakesperean proportions. James Trafford had the world at his fingertips during the summer transfer window. The former City player excelled during his spell at Burnley, compelling the Citizens to trigger a buyback clause. He was meant to push Ederson for the No.1 spot. Ederson then decided to leave to Fenerbahçe, putting the full weight of the no.1 jersey on Trafford’s shoulders. And he struggled in the early matches, looing particularly jittery in City’s 2-0 home defeat to Spurs. Guardiola- never a slave to sentiment- took decisive action, acquiring Donnarumma in arguably the low-key best signing of the summer. Donnarumma has solidified that No.1 ranking and Trafford is flirting with a loan move. Trafford has been a fixture in Tuchel’s England plans but his recent dip in form saw him excluded from his most recent squad. Tuchel is not going to take a keeper to next year’s World Cup if they are struggling for confidence.
1. Florian Wirtz- £116 from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool
Gary Neville summed the Wirtz saga up best, stating that he looked like a ‘little boy’ during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Man City. Perhaps Neville was a tad condescending, but you can’t help but agree with him on some gut level. The German playmaker is yet to score or create an assist in eleven Premier League outings. The Liverpool hierarchy should have thought about this. Dominic Szoboszlai was excellent in that attacking midfield role and Isak (who narrowly avoided this list) was obviously brought in to play either through the middle or down the left-hand side. It doesn’t feel like there’s an obvious fit for the Leverkusen talisman. I still think there’s time for Witz to find his footing. You don’t go from being arguably the most exciting attacking midfielder in Europe to Robbie Savage in a few months. But you can just feel that price tag weighing him down (and being weighed down is a terrible thing for a twinkle-toed creative midfielder).
